Scott, Grijalva, Lee Introduce Bill to Invest in Direct Care Workers

Scott, Grijalva, Lee Introduce Bill to Invest in Direct Care Workers

Direct CARE Opportunity Act helps meet the growing demand for direct care workers, improve working conditions, and support seniors and people with disabilities

WASHINGTON - Today, House Committee on Education and Workforce Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (VA-03), Rep. Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07), and Rep. Susie Lee (NV-03) announced plans to reintroduce the Direct Creation, Advancement, and Retention of Employment (CARE) Opportunity Act of 2026. The legislation invests in training and increasing opportunities for our nation's direct care workers.

Between 2025 and 2035, the direct care workforce is projected to add more than 886,000 new jobs. Despite this growing demand, direct care workers still earn low wages and experience unstable working conditions. The current median wage for direct care workers is just $17.36 an hour. In addition to low wages, direct care workers also face high injury rates. For example, nursing assistants are nearly five times more likely than the typical U.S. worker to experience workplace injuries or illnesses.

Congressional Republicans and the Trump Administration have made the situation even more dire by cutting Medicaid funding by nearly $1 trillion in the "Big Ugly Bill" and threatening other public assistance that helps many direct care workers make ends meet. As a result, many states are reducing access to home and community-based services, the main source of funding for direct care workers.

The Direct CARE Opportunity Act of 2026strengthens the training, support, and career opportunities that direct care workers need to support millions of older Americans and people with disabilities.

"Direct care workers play an essential role in caring for our nation's seniors and individuals with disabilities," said Ranking Member Scott. "Regrettably, our investments in this critical workforce have lagged far behind the rapidly growing need for their services. It's time to address the shortage of care workers and provide them with the resources and support they deserve. By funding innovative strategies to recruit, retain, and support direct care workers, the Direct CARE Opportunity Act of 2026 helps ensure that our nation's seniors and individuals with disabilities have access to vital, everyday care."

"For so many families throughout Southern Arizona, direct care workers provide critical support that allows older adults and people with disabilities to live with dignity and age in place. Despite the essential work they do, direct care workers are too often underpaid and lack the support and opportunities they deserve, contributing to a growing shortage of providers. The Direct CARE Opportunity Act invests in these workers by expanding training, strengthening career pathways, and helping recruit and retain the workforce our communities depend on," said Rep. Grijalva.

"Nevada is home to more than 13,000 direct care workers who work tirelessly to support Nevada seniors and those with disabilities every day, and demand for their services is skyrocketing," said Rep. Lee. "The Direct CARE Opportunity Act meets that demand by directly investing in the retention, recruitment, and training of our direct care workforce. This practical investment supports caregivers currently in the workforce, strengthens the direct care workforce pipeline, and ensures that those who depend on direct care workers can continue to live securely and with dignity."

To meet the need for a well-trained and empowered direct care workforce, the Direct CARE Opportunity Act of 2026:

• Provides funding to states and entities to invest in strategies to recruit, retain, and advance the direct care workforce pipeline.
• Implements models and strategies to make the field of direct care more attractive, such as training, registered apprenticeships, and mentoring, enabling local and regional innovation to address workforce shortages and needs in a high-demand field.
• Encourages retention and career advancement in the field of direct care through the development and utilization of a career pathways model.
• Responds to the needs of a growing aging population and allows older Americans, people with disabilities, and others who require direct care services to remain in their communities, when possible.
• Supports the health and well-being of those who need and rely on direct care services, helping prevent more costly institutional care.

To read the bill text for the Direct CARE Opportunity Act of 2026, click here.

To read the fact sheet for the Direct CARE Opportunity Act of 2026, click here.

To read the section-by-section for the Direct CARE Opportunity Act of 2026, click here.

The Direct CARE Opportunity Act of 2026 is endorsed by: Argentum, Caring Across Generations, The Arc, American Network of Community Actions and Resources (ANCOR), National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP), Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute (PHI) National, and Alliance for Independence, National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD).